Executive Order No. 1037: Grading Symbols, Assignment
of Grades and Grade Appeals gives authority to each campus Senate
to provide policy and procedures for the proper implementation of
faculty responsibilities in connection with the assignment of grades
and their appeal. Executive Order No. 1037 directs that the standards
established by the procedures be based on the following principles:

Faculty have the sole right and responsibility to provide careful
evaluation and timely assignment of appropriate grades. (Administrative
grading symbols may be assigned only in accordance with the provisions
of this executive order.)

There is a presumption that grades assigned are correct.
It is the responsibility of anyone appealing an assigned grade
to demonstrate otherwise.

In the absence of compelling reasons, such as instructor
or clerical error, prejudice or capriciousness, the grade assigned
by the instructor of record is to be considered final.

Students who believe that an appropriate grade has not been
assigned should first seek to resolve the matter informally with
the instructor of record. If the matter cannot be resolved informally,
the student may present his/her case to the appropriate campus
entity, have it reviewed and, where justified, receive a grade
correction.

If the instructor of record does not assign a grade or if
he/she does not change an assigned grade when the necessity to
do so has been established by appropriate campus procedures,
it is the responsibility of other qualified faculty to do so.

"Qualified faculty" means one or more persons with
academic training comparable to the instructor of record who
are presently on the faculty at that campus.

Each campus faculty senate has authority and responsibility
for providing policy and procedures for the proper implementation
of the foregoing principles.

Each campus president is responsible for ensuring that the
policies and procedures developed by the faculty senate are in
conformance with the principles and provisions of this executive
order and for ensuring that such established policies and procedures
are carried out.

In compliance with Executive Order 1037, Sonoma State University has established Formal Dispute Resolution Procedures to hear grade appeals. (http://www.sonoma.edu/UAffairs/policies/dispute_resolution.htm) These procedures rely on the good faith
of all parties to achieve a reasonable resolution of the appeal.
In order to protect the rights of students and faculty, the rights
listed below are incorporated into the Grade Appeal Policy and
Procedures.Students and faculty have the right to:

impartial review;

advice and assistance;

reasonable time limits throughout the process;

an adjudication by the Dispute Resolution Board;

access to relevant documentation;

a decision based on the record of the adjudication;

a written statement of the grounds for the decision and the
evidence relied upon.

The Dispute Resolution Board does not have purview over allegations of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Students who believe that they have experienced discrimination, harassment, or retaliation that has impacted their grade in a course should file both a grade appeal and a complaint with the Managing Director of Employee Relations & Compliance Services. In accordance with Executive Order 1074, “the Campus grade appeal procedure shall be placed in abeyance until such time as the informal or formal Campus investigation procedures and any appeal processes have concluded. The final determination regarding whether discrimination, harassment, or retaliation occurred” will be communicated to the Dispute Resolution Board. The Dispute Resolution Board must take into account such determination when considering the grade appeal request.